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Installing Lights on shingle panels

Ronnmann | Posted in Construction Techniques on August 4, 2007 10:13am

Hi,

    I am a home owner in the middle of remodeling my house. My builder installed shingle siding (Cedar Valley Panels) and now is installing lights on the outside of my house. The light fixtures were installed on cedar blocks which were attached to the outside of the shingles and shimmed to make them plumb. The problem is that the blocks are out of plumb by as much as 10 degrees. The error is accentuated by the fact that the lights are long lanterns which makes the error very obvious to the naked eye. The builder says that this is very difficult to fix on a shingle house due to the uneven nature of shingles.

   Is there a way to fix this problem? Is this the correct way to install outside lights on a shingle house?

Thank you for for your help.

Ronnmann

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Replies

  1. MrEnergy | Aug 04, 2007 11:47pm | #1

    I would think the right way would be to put the block on the sheathing like other trim and then butt the shingles up next to it. Flash the top if necessary. On shingles, the correction might be easy. I am no expert, but have built my own house (or does that 'automatically' make me an expert? :)   ).

  2. mike_maines | Aug 05, 2007 06:46pm | #2

    I've never used the shingle panels, but always use "light blocks" when shingling a wall.  The block goes on the sheathing, with some sort of waterproofing.  Putting the block on top of the shingle panel sounds like hack work to me. 

    1. Piffin | Aug 05, 2007 07:53pm | #6

      That is what I do, but I like to know the location and lay things out so I locate the base block where it compliments the line of the siding whatever size/type it is. One of the reasons I hate these shingle panels is that it is far harder to fash details like this to keep waater out, so I would be tempted to block on top of the siding if I had to use that crap 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. mike_maines | Aug 05, 2007 08:00pm | #8

        Our electricians leave a wire sticking out of the wall in the vicinity of where the light should go, and when shingling (or clapboarding), like you, we install the block where it works with the siding courses.  The wire is brought through a hole drilled slightly off-center so the electrician has an easier time drilling out for a box with his hole saw. 

        I usually flash the top with whatever flashing we're using on the windows and doors, usually copper, and set the block on tar paper or ice and water shield but sometimes I skip that step. 

        Bet you do the same thing?

        Never heard it called a base block.  I like it, since we do the same thing for vents, outlets, and other things that aren't lights....

      2. hvtrimguy | Aug 06, 2007 05:04am | #12

        I've never installed the cedar panels but I have a sample sitting here on my desk. the panels have their own layer of ply. perhaps a block could be cut in and applied to just that layer of ply. it would lay flat I would think which is what the owner is after. I can see flashing being an issue but it's still gotta be better that the shim method. I would venture to guess that no box was even used if they couldn't take the time to cut in a block. I was looking at using these panels on a job and you guys talked me out of it. sounds like another reason to be glad I listened to y'all.Jason"it aint the work I mind,
        It's the feeling of falling further behind."Bozini Latini

  3. User avater
    SamT | Aug 05, 2007 06:57pm | #3

    correct way to install outside lights on a shingle house?

    Call Cedar Valley, 1.800.521.9523

    SamT

    1. Piffin | Aug 05, 2007 08:06pm | #9

      I looked at their instalation pdfd and find it is one of the worst and most incomplete manuals I have seen for any roof/siding product in my life. So I will bet you a milkbone that the answer from the company is, "Do just like you would install it for any other lap siding..." 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. User avater
        SamT | Aug 06, 2007 12:18am | #10

        I posted the limit of the knowledge I already had plus what I could discover easily.SamT

  4. edlee | Aug 05, 2007 07:39pm | #4

      Is this the correct way to install outside lights on a shingle house?

    I would agree with the two guys who answered and said no. There should be a block installed on the sheathing that's a little bit proud of the shingles, with the shingles butted up to it.

    Is there a way to fix this problem?

    I'm an electrician not a carpenter but I would think that one fix is: make a block for each light with a round hole for the electrical box (he DID use boxes, didn't he?). Carefully make a cut-out for the block down to the sheathing, using a straight-edge and a sharp utility knife.  Flash the top and caulk the rest.

     

    Ed




    Edited 8/5/2007 12:47 pm ET by edlee

    1. Piffin | Aug 05, 2007 07:47pm | #5

      shingle panels are less firm backing than real shingles so he mighjt have a ppoint, but it sounds like he was just a little careless calculating the shim angle.Yes, there are other ways, but these take a lot of time and preplanning to know the size and location of light before doing the shingle siding. Maybe somebody didn't think far enough ahead. 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. edlee | Aug 05, 2007 07:55pm | #7

        Oh, OK. I didn't catch that distinction about shingle panels. I'm not familiar with them.......I should have kept my mouth shut!

         

        Ed

  5. rez | Aug 06, 2007 04:38am | #11

    Greetings Ronnmann,
    as a first time poster Welcome to Breaktime.

    Have you decided what it is you are going to do to rectify the situation?

     

    1. Ronnmann | Aug 07, 2007 07:50pm | #13

      Rez,

       

       Yes. I called cedar valley and learned that we could attach light blocks directly to the shingle panels. The builder will remake the blocks so that they are plumb. I considered ripping off the siding and attaching the blocks to the siding. However, the sheathing is underneath exterior rigid foam insulation and the space formed by a rain screen wall. 

      Thank you for your help. 

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